


You Simply Must Meet Thomas

by fandom_susceptible



Series: Fix-It Fic for Reality but framed as Hamilton because reality would be treason [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anxiety, Bullying, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy Ending, M/M, Meet-Cute, Poor Jemmy, Thomas to the rescue, jeffmads - Freeform, seriously someone help him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-22
Updated: 2018-03-22
Packaged: 2019-04-06 05:32:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14049978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandom_susceptible/pseuds/fandom_susceptible
Summary: James Madison has been dealing with his anxiety from a very young age.  But high school is stressful for anyone, and with his parents sick and trying to graduate early, he has his hands full.  It all comes to a head one day in the Revolutionary High corridors.  Luckily, Thomas Jefferson, the school heartthrob, is around to help him pull himself together.





	You Simply Must Meet Thomas

**Author's Note:**

> The real-life James Madison tried to fast-track through college and had a nervous breakdown so severe the school sent him home and told Alexander Hamilton not to even try. This was in the 1770s. Madison never fully recovered, which was one of the reasons he was so ill all the time. One of our founding fathers had severe anxiety and I feel like this isn't explored enough.

     Okay, so next class was . . . . it was Algebra 1.  And then he had 20 minutes to do his social studies homework proofreading, and then - "Charles, excuse me," James tried and found himself utterly ignored by the football player. "Charles!"

    "Fuck off, Madison, you can move around me." Charles snapped casually, barely paying attention to him.

     James took a deep breath as he stumbled back from the simple force of Charles' words; the bigger boy had made no move towards him.  He bumped into someone else and lost his balance in the crowded hallway, stumbling further and then full on falling.  And then he was lost in the sea of students and someone kicked him and his backpack was unzipped because he'd pulled out his schedule and now his books were falling out.  His Algebra book was kicked across the room and James yelped, lunging for it and almost getting kicked again.

     "No, no no no no no!" He heard himself say belatedly as he scrambled to pick up his books. "I had a plan!  I'm not gonna make it!" His chest was getting tight and he fought back tears, books slipping from his hands as he slipped into a panic.  He'd figured out his schedule to the minute!  He was going to be late if he didn't get moving now and that would reflect on his grades - 

     Charles Lee snatched one of the books from his hands and checked out the cover.  He gave a scoffing laugh as James scrambled to his feet to reach for it. "Little Women?  Seriously?  You're reading this?  Nobody even assigns this in senior year, Madison."

     "It's a - a a a -" He sounded like a fucking broken record and  _he hated it_ "Reference!  I - I mean I have an essay and - Charles please!" His throat was burning and his head pounded, he knew he was having an anxiety attack as the tears started to come but no he couldn't afford to do this right now, he had so much he had to do -

     Charles was busy holding the book above his head - and far out of James' reach - when a dark hand snatched it casually. "Wha -?" Lee turned to look and took a surprised step back. "Jefferson!"

     Sure enough, Thomas Jefferson was the offender and he arched an eyebrow at Lee and then looked at Madison with concern. "The hell are you doin', Lee?"

     Lee held up his hands defensively. "Hey, I was just teasing a little, he was freaking out before I even touched the book."

     Jefferson smacked him. "Then ya shouldn' a taken it at all!  Get the fuck outta here an' take ya li'l friends with ya!"

     James sniffled and tried to get himself back under control.  There was roaring in his ears and he could hardly hear what anyone was saying, but he was sinking into the detached state he got in when he didn't have time to recover for real but he needed to do something, if on autopilot.  He vaguely noticed Charles Lee and his friends moving off and he looked up almost a full foot to see Jefferson's concerned face.

     "Please just give it back, I have an essay . . ." James started to plead but Jefferson gently handed it back before he was even done.

     "Le's get you outta here, whaddaya say?" He said gently and put a soft arm around James' shoulders.

     James shook his head, pulling away.  He was going to break again if someone was comforting, he knew it. "My Algebra book . . ."

     "Don' worry, I got it." Jefferson darted into the fray and quickly returned. "This yours?"

     He held it up and James breathed a sigh of relief, reaching for it, half-afraid Jefferson would snatch it away in a moment.  He didn't and he sighed again, clutching it to his chest. "Thank -" He cleared his throat, coughing a bit, chest heaving before weakly managing, "Thanks."

     Jefferson frowned and put an arm around him, brooking no argument as he tugged James along into a nearby empty classroom.  He sat James down at a desk and then perched on the desk in front of him. "Hey, listen.  You're gonna be okay.  Lee's an asshole but one day that dumb bitch will be working for you.  Wha's your name?"

     James sniffled, trying to pull himself together.  He covered his face and mumbled "James Madison."

     "Jemmy it is." Thomas moved to pat his shoulder but pulled his hand back, not wanting to frighten him. "Thomas Jefferson. Ya wanna talk about it?  I could go get one of ya friends if ya just don't wanna talk to a stranger."

     James shook his head, trembling minutely and panting as he shut his eyes. "Don't have any friends."

     "Aww, now if that ain't the saddest thing I've heard all day.  I can't believe it, cute li'l thing like you doesn't have any friends at all?" Thomas' words were teasing, but his tone was anything but - instead gentle and genuinely sympathetic, with a comforting Virginian lilt.

     "I don't - I don't talk to anyone," James admitted, whispering.

     "Aww." Jefferson shifted down and slid into the bench - it was a group desk, must be a science classroom - beside him.  He put a soft hand on James' shoulder. "What can Ah do, dahlin'?" He asked softly.

     James would probably be mortified later.  As it was, Jefferson's soft words and gentle hand broke the floodgates.  He let his book bag fall to the floor and turned to hug the taller boy, burying his face in Jefferson's chest and sobbing quietly.  There was a soft exclamation of surprise from Thomas, but to his credit, he didn't pull away.  He let his arms fall around James and began rocking slightly to his sobs, humming reassuringly. "Shh, darlin', it's gonn' be okay." He murmured.

     The tears relieved some of the pressure in James' head, though he could hardly hear anything anymore.  He clung to Thomas' shirt and full-body sobbed, frustrated at his own lack of control, making things worse, but the pain in his chest was abating.  Thomas just continued to sit and rock him and murmur until he reduced to sniffles and weak shivering and pushed away, covering his face again with a little groan, shrinking in on himself. "Oh god I'm so sorry," He was too drained to go straight back into bad anxiety, but if Thomas reacted badly . . .

     Fortunately, he didn't, just smiled crookedly. "I's alright, darlin'.  Ya looked like ya needed a friend." He reached out and wiped a tear from James' face, ignoring the shaky breath James gave at being touched. "Anythin' else Ah can do?"

     James bit his lip and folded his arms tightly around himself, nervous, embarrassed, unsure what to make of this gentle side of the well-known Jefferson, captain of the debate team, could have been a basketball star but 'got bored', the charmer, the self-proclaimed senator of the school. "I don't - uh - I don't think so?"

     Thomas gave him an even look and then settled more comfortably in the bench and angled himself so he could prop his feet up on the table, long legs going halfway over it even at the angle. "Tell ya what, I'll stick aroun' until you're back to normal, okay?  Jus' in case."

     "Why?" James demanded before he could convince himself not to.

     Thomas licked his lips, eyebrows furrowing with intense concern. "Because we may not be friends yet but Ah don't like seein' people cry in the hallways.  'Specially people who cry in the hallways and got nowhere else to turn.  You think you're gonna be okay?"

      James sniffled and unfolded his arms, keeping them tight to his sides as he shuddered and wiped his face. "I think - yeah.  I'm going to be."

     There was a moment of quiet before Thomas asked softly, "If you need somebody t' hold you, I'm still here."

     James' head jerked around to look at him with wary surprise.

     He was met with gentle amusement. "Like Ah said, I got no qualms about  _destroyin'_ people who deserve it, but I get no satisfaction witnessin' fits of passion or anxiety.  I don't have it myself but I know it sucks an' honestly I jus' wanna help."

     James chewed his lip, dropping his gaze.  But still, he shyly edged up close and curled up on the bench with Thomas' arm around him.  He let his angled knees fall on Thomas' thigh as he folded his arms tight against himself and cuddled up to the bigger boy, feeling dwarfed but somehow safer.  He shut his eyes and shuddered once before falling still, exhausted. "Thank you." He whispered.

      Thomas ran his fingers through James' hair and smoothed it back down. "No problem, darlin'."

      After about five minutes James suddenly sat up again with a cry of panic. "Dammit I'm missing my algebra class!  Damn, fuck, shit I have to go - !" He stumbled as he tried to get up and almost fell again before Thomas caught his arm, wrenching it uncomfortably but at least preventing him from hitting his head on the desk. "Thanks, I just, my class -"

     "Is gon' be over in like ten minutes.  I got a friend in the algebra class this period, Ms. Durston, right?" Thomas said evenly.  When James nodded he continued, "I'll have my friend pick up your homework an' y'all can study together.  She won' mind sharin' her notes."

     James bit his lip. "But I . . ."

     "Durston hates tardiness," Thomas reminded.

     James winced and sank back down on the bench, pressed up against Thomas' side again in favor of hanging off the bench, as the other had moved. "Ahhhhh, I don't know what I'm gonna do, I'm gonna miss an entire period but if I don't I'm not gonna get anything from it anyway because I'm so anxious I can't think -"

     Thomas hugged him one-armed. "I's okay, darlin'.  One class ain't gonna ruin your grades."

     James grimaced. "But it's not just one class, I got sick last month and barely came to school, and now I'm missing this, and I'm never going to pass this class at this rate much less graduate on time let alone early -"

     "Hey hey hey, slow daown," Thomas soothed, rocking them a bit. "Who's sayin' ya gotta graduate early?  Besides, if you're sick or got anxiety this bad it ain't your fault.  Ah know teachers don' always play fair with 'at shit but listen, I'll bet you could find somebody who's willin' to help ya out to keep up on ya homework and pass the class anyways.  Hey." He bent over so he could look up at James' downturned face and smiled. "You're gonna be okay, darlin'."

     James hugged his own arms with a grimace and then rubbed his face with a sigh. "I guess, I know that, up here, just . . ." He gestured to his head and then vaguely elsewhere and rested his head in his hands again. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

    Thomas had to think for a second. "Oh.  Jus' what I call attractive people." He shrugged. "I can call ya James if you'd rather."

     James chewed his lip before nodding a bit, shyly. "Yeah, I . . . seems like too much of a pet name."

     Thomas nodded. "Ah can get behind that.  Jus' - looked like ya needed a friend.  James, how's Jemmy?"

     James shot him a look and didn't reply out loud, letting his disapproving expression speak for him.  Jefferson smirked.

     "I have to go." James said after a minute, sniffling a bit and wiping at his face with disgust. "I gotta clean up before mah next class." Oh lord, Thomas' thick accent was bringing his own back to the forefront.

     "Ya sure you're okay?" Thomas checked, cautious.

     James nodded. "I will be once I get cleaned up." After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Thank you," as they both gathered up their books.

     Thomas shot him one of those dazzling smiles - but tempered with gentle eyes he didn't normally see. "No problem - James." He bowed his head a bit deferentially as he used James' actual name, making good on his promise. "If ya ever need a shoulder to cry on or someone to pick up ya homework or anythin', I'll be around.  I'm the captain of the Debate Team, so -"

     "Thomas," James cut him off with a slightly exasperated little smile. "Everyone knows who you are.  If I need you, I know where to find you."

     Thomas grinned again and bowed with exaggerated gallantry. "Anytime, at ya service, mon ami."

     James paused on the way through the door and blinked at him. "Since when do you speak French?"

     "Since I'm doing an exchange program next year an' goin' to France," Thomas said cheerfully. "We got a lot to learn about each other." He straightened up and walked with James. "I'd like to be friends."

     James looked up at him and bit his lip a bit before smiling weakly. "I think I'd like that too." He'd try it.  He wasn't sure if he could really depend on Jefferson yet, but - he'd try it.  He smiled crookedly as Jefferson yelped and apologized before bolting to his own class to get there on time.  It might be nice to have a friend.


End file.
